Collapsible boat or floating device.



No. 660,252. Patented 001. 23, |000.

J. GuTKNEcHT. I

COLLAPSIBLE BOAT 0R FLOATING DEVICE.-

(Application led Aug. 6, 1900.)- (N 0 M o d e ...1 wmmmmwwl. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\v`\\\\\\\ g\ TH: Norms Pzrzns co, PoTo-Lln-lo. wAsHiNnToN, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHANN GUTHNEOHT, oir ZURICH, SWITZERLAND.

COLLAPSIBLE BOAT OR FLOATING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION fornfling` part of Letters Patent No. 660,252, dated October 23, 1900.

Application filed August 6, 1900. Serial No. 26,052. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concer-71,.-

Beit known that I, JOHANN GUTKNECHT, a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, residing at Zurich, Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collap` and exact description of the invention, suchl as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has for its object a collapsible boat or floating device which is also applicable as a life-saving apparatus.

One form of construction of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a section on the line A A of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a similar section of part of the device in another position; and Fig. 3 is a plan View, partially in section, of the device.

The appliance has two frames a, b, one of which is inserted within the other and pivotally mounted therein by means of bolts c, so that it can be either adj usted into a position at right angles tothe other frame, Figs. l and 3, or it can be turned into line with the other frame, as in Fig. 2 and the dotted position shown in Fig. l. vided in the upper cross-bar of the frame a,

into which groove the upper cross-bar of the' frame b springs and in this manner holds fastthe frame d in this position when the latter' is brought kinto a position at right angles to the frame b. The upper cross-bar of the frame b is bent in the form of a saddle and has a seat e in the bend. The frames are surrounded by a cover f of water-tight material. This cover is stretched when the frames are brought into a position at right angles to one another and is held in a taut extended position by the frames. In this manner a frame is formed inside the cover in which a person A groove d, Fig. 2, is pro-v can sit upon the seat e. Over the seat is an opening g, formed in the cover, which may be reduced in size by its edges being drawn together with a cord, so that it- Inay be closely and water-tightly secured around the upper part of the body of a person seated inside the cover.

The arrangement hereinbefore described is applicable, when in an extended position, as a water conveyance or boat and may be propelled over the water by a person by means of a pair of oars or a double-bladed paddle.

The deviceis capable of being folded up, the frame a then beingin line with the frame b, the whole thus being flat and capablel of being carried with ease or stored in a limited space.

As the appliance can be rapidly made ready for use and as penetration of water into the casing-for instance, in the event of waves arising-is prevented by its closely fitting around the person seated therein, this device` may be employed with safety as a life-saving boat in the event of disasters on the Water. For larger and respectively longer boats `there may be employed two or more frames a,

the character o f the invention being not altered by such a plurality of frames a.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is- 1. A collapsible boat or iioating device adapted to be used as a life-saving apparatus, which consists of two frames pivotally connectedl With one another and inserted one in the other, which are capable of being retained at right angles to one another, and whichvare so inclosed by a cover that when the frames are placed at right angles the cover is held taut by them and forms a space adapted to contain a person, substantially as described.

2. `A collapsible boat or floating device, applicable also as a life-saving apparatus which has two pivotally-connected frames inserted one in the other, and which are adapted to be ixed at right angles to one another, and are inclosed by a cover in such a way that the latter is held taut when the frames are placed at right angles to one anotheigand forms espace I In testimony that claim the foregoing as' for receiving a person, the said cover being my invention I have signed my name n presformed of waterproof material or the like and ence ofy two subscribing Witnesses.

having a contraetiblelopening which may be f JOHANN GUTKNECHT; 5 Water-tightly secured around the body of the Witnesses:

person seated beneath the oovelgsubstnntially t Y MORITZ VEITH,

as described@ A. LIEBERKNECHT. 

